Playing The Alphas

Chapter 80: The Aftermaths

FINNIAN

The ceiling was white. Too white that it hurt my eyes.

I lay on my bed, staring at it, trying to remember how I had gotten here. The last thing I remembered was the corridor. The screaming. The running. And then...

Nothing. ƒrēewebnovel.com

Just darkness.

I tried to move. Pain shot through my chest. My ribs. My arms. Every part of me ached.

I looked down at my body. Bandages covered my torso. My arms. My legs. Bruises bloomed beneath the white fabric like dark flowers.

The door opened.

My father walked in. His face was hard. His eyes were cold. But there was something else there too. Concern.

"Finnian," he said.

I tried to sit up. The pain stopped me. I fell back against the pillows.

"Father."

He walked to the side of my bed. He looked down at me. His hands were clasped behind his back.

"What happened?" he asked.

I closed my eyes. "I do not know. I just... I got angry. And I turned."

"Angry about what?"

I shook my head. "I do not remember. Everything was blurry. Like I was watching myself from outside my body."

"You forgot to take your tranquilizer injections."

It was not a question. It was a statement.

I nodded. "I was distracted. I missed my dose yesterday. And the day before."

"You know what happens when you miss your doses."

"I know." I was just too jealous about DARLINGTON having her that I forgot to take my tranquillizers. But I’d never mention it to my dad. Never!

"And you still forgot?"

"I said I was distracted, Father. I did not do it on purpose."

He was silent for a moment. Then he pulled a chair closer to the bed. He sat down. His eyes never left my face.

"You turned in the middle of the corridor," he said. "In front of everyone. Guards. Servants. Slaves."

I winced. "I know."

"You terrified half the palace. People are still hiding in their rooms."

"I am sorry."

"Sorry is not enough, Finnian. You could have killed someone."

"I know."

"You almost killed the girl. The one the lizards sold. Samantha." ƒreewebɳovel.com

My eyes snapped open. "What?"

"You grabbed her. You tore her neck. You tasted her blood."

I felt my stomach turn. "Is she... is she okay?"

"She is fine. You stopped before you could do any real damage."

I let out a breath I did not know I was holding.

"Why did you stop?" my father asked.

"I do not know."

"You do not know?"

"I said I do not know. I do not remember anything. I just woke up here."

My father studied my face. His eyes were searching. Looking for something.

"You have never stopped before," he said. "When you lose control, you do not stop until someone stops you. Until you are unconscious or restrained."

"I know."

"So why did you stop this time?"

I looked away. "I do not know."

The doctor entered. He was old. Grey-haired. He carried a clipboard and a small bag of instruments.

"Your Majesty," the doctor said, bowing to my father.

"Check him," my father said. "I want a full report."

The doctor nodded. He walked to my bedside. He began to examine me.

His hands moved across my ribs. Gently. Carefully.

"Three broken ribs," the doctor said. "Two cracked. Multiple contusions. Superficial lacerations on the arms and torso."

"How long until he heals?"

"With the Lycan blood, a few days. Maybe a week. The wounds will close quickly. The ribs will take longer."

"Will there be scars?"

The doctor shook his head. "The Lycan blood prevents scarring. He will be as good as new in a few weeks."

My father nodded. "And the injections? Will he need a higher dose now?"

The doctor considered this. "Possibly. The transformation was intense. The curse may be growing stronger."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the tranquilizers may not work as well as they used to. The beast is fighting back. It wants to come out."

My father’s jaw tightened. "Then we increase the dose."

"That may not be enough, Your Majesty. The curse is ancient. It adapts. It evolves."

"Then what do you suggest?"

The doctor was quiet for a moment. "I suggest we find a more permanent solution."

"A cure."

"Yes, Your Majesty. A cure."

My father stood. He walked to the window. His back was to us.

"Every generation says the same thing," he said. "Every generation searches for a cure. Every generation fails."

"Perhaps this generation will succeed," the doctor said.

My father turned. His eyes were cold. "And what makes this generation different?"

The doctor hesitated. "The girl. Is she the one the lizards sold?"

"Yes. Yes," my father answered desperately. "Is there anything about her perhaps that you know?"

"Her blood... there is something about it."

My father’s eyes narrowed. "What do you know?"

"I examined the wound on her neck. The one Finnian gave her. The blood that was left behind... it had properties I have never seen before."

"What properties?"

"Healing, calming and something else. Something I cannot name."

"I see...Can we talk about this later on? I would like to focus on the well being of my son. We can analyze this later on. What do you think?"

"It is okay, my king. I don’t mind. I will wait till you’re done and ready for us to look further into the matter."

My father was silent for a long moment. Then he walked back to my bedside.

"Rest," he said. "Heal. We will talk more when you are stronger."

I nodded. "Yes, Father."

He walked to the door and he paused.

"Finnian."

"Yes?"

"Be careful with that girl. There is more to her than meets the eye."

He walked out.

The doctor packed his bag. He looked at me.

"Rest," he said. "And do not miss your injections again."

He walked out too.

I was alone.

But something else was there too.

A question.

Why had I stopped?

Why had her blood calmed me?

I did not have an answer.

But I knew I needed to find one.